Portable utility refrigerator unit



May 22, 1951 o. E. BECKER PORTABLE UTILITY REFRIGERATOR UNIT Filed June14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F 51 7 E E 7 I May 22, 1951 o. E. BECKER2,554,290

PORTABLE UTILITY REFRIGERATOR UNIT Filed June 14, 1946 I 2 Sheets-Sheet2 4 Il a- 27/ IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE UTILITYREFRIGERATOR UNIT Otto Edward Becker, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 14, 1946, Serial No. 676,636

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to portable refrigerator units that may be usedto refrigerate a given space such as a common kitchen drawer and whenthe temperature of the space is sufficiently reduced the unit may bereadily and easily moved to another space.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a portable packagerefrigerator unit that may be readily moved from one space to another,thus permitting the refrigeration of several individual spaces with asingle unit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable refrigeratingunit that may be easily carried in ones car to a mountain cabin, lodge,camp, or be used in a trailer.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable refrigeratorunit that may be used as a utility unit for caterers.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable refrigeratorunit that may be used to cool or refrigerate the drawer or top space ina utility table or the contents of a common cooking vessel.

With these and incidental objects in view the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and combination of parts, apreferred form of which is hereinafter shown with reference to thedrawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a common kitchen cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1, looking inthe direction indicated.

Fig. 3 is a top view of a drawer removed from the cabinet showing therefrigerator unit in its place.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3, looking inthe direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top view of the drawer with the refrigeratorunit removed showing the aperture provided for air circulation.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the refrigerator unit removed from the drawerand having the shrouds removed to show the relationship of the severalunits.

Fig. 7 shows how the unit is used in order to refrigerate a commoncooking vessel.

Fig. 8 is the refrigerator unit removed from the drawer showing theaperture in the back side of the shroud which registers with theaperture I3 of a portion of the drawer.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

My invention shows the cabinet I, having the drawers 3 and 4, the boards5 and 6, and the doors 'I and 8. The top 9 is hinged with springbalanced hinges Ill, and provides a second means of access to thedrawers 3 and 4. In the drawer 3, I show the portable refrigeration unitII which is separated from the rest of the drawer by the hinged boardI2. The refrigerator unit II is placed in one corner of the drawer sothat the motor, compressor and condenser are directly over the apertureI3 to permit the circulation of air from a source outside of the drawerarea. I provide a thumb screw I4 which is screwed against the board l2holding the unit I I in its proper place at all times. The refrigeratorunit II has the insulated diaphragm I5 which separates the evaporator I6and the compressor II, the motor I8, and the condenser I9. I provide theshroud 29 for the evaporator I6 and the insulated shroud 2| which has anopening that registers with the aperture I3 of the drawer. Therefrigerator unit is placed in the divided portion of the drawer 3 andreceives its cooling air through the aperture I3 of the drawer 3. Thecooling air is also discharged through the same aperture. This ispossible since the size of the compartment below the drawer is alwaysconsiderably larger than the drawer and is usually exposed to an entireroom through vents or the opening and closing of other compartmentdoors. Circulation of the air is ac-. complished by the fan 21 providedfor this purpose. I provide the holes 22 in the hinged division board itso that the air in the drawer may circulate and contact the evaporatorIS. The cord 23 may extend through the aperture I3 and then to thenearest outlet. To remove the refrigerator unit II, the thumb screw itis released and by grasping the handle 25 it is free to be lifted out.The cord 23 must, of course, be unplugged. The circulating fan 25 isprovided to draw air through the condenser I9 and the conventionalcontrol knob 26 is provided for the purpose of regulating thetemperature to be maintained.

The unit may be operated in a vertical plane as well as a horizontalone; In Fig. '7 I show a common cooking vessel 21 having a lid 28 withthe handles 29. The hole 39 in the lid 28 permits the evaporator I6 andits shroud 20 to pass through it. The insulated diaphragm I5 rests onthe top 28. In this manner any articles placed in a common vessel may berefrigerated at will.

It is well known that the average mechanical refrigerator operates but asmall portion of the total time, hence with my portable unit it ispossible to have several drawers, boxes, table tops or other receptaclesoperating with but one unit. Thi is accomplished by moving the unit fromone place to another thereby getting the highest possible amount of workout of a single unit or investment.

When the unit II is removed from the drawer, the hinged board l2 liesflat against the bottom of the drawer covering the aperture I3 andrendering the drawer one hundred percent useful for ordinary purposes.

I provide the snap latch buttons 3| that must be depressed before thedrawers may be pulled out. The light 32 is of the conven'tionaltype andilluminates when the top of the cabinet 9 is raised uncovering thedrawers '3"a"nd '4. This permits one to readily read the thermometer 33.It is obvious that a portable closure such as a travelers suit casecould be readily used as a refrigerator. The unit may also be usedwithout an enclosure thus providing means of local refrigeration.

While theform of mechanism here shown and described is admirably adaptedto fulfill the objects primarily stated, it isto be understood that itis not intended to confine the invention to the .form of embodimentherein shown and described in a vertical position.

OTTO EDWARD BECKER.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,256,730 Richter et a1 Feb.19,1918 1,646,919 Lipman Oct. 25, 1927 1,789,913 .Swezey Jan. 20, 19311,917,537 Melcher July 11, 1933 2,056,353 Haunz Oct. 6, 1936 2,283,904Baumgarden May '26, 1942

